1MDB 101: Mahathir on how to win over rural voters

While Pakatan Harapan’s campaign emphasis on the 1MDB scandal implicating caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak might have worked to retain support in its urban strongholds, its real challenge in the coming polls still lies deep in the more rural areas of the country.

In an interview with Malaysiakini, Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad admitted that the 1MDB issue has had little traction among rural voters, claiming that they were largely “unable to understand” the complexities of what has been described as the biggest global scandal of its kind.

“I think the very rural people cannot understand… They can’t even understand RM1 billion, how much is that? To them RM1 million and RM1 billion is the same.

“And to them, even if a prime minister steals money, they have always thought that prime ministers, including me, stole money,” he said.

Urban voters, Mahathir added, seemed better able to understand the issue in comparison.

“You see, a lot of (these urban) people are acquainted with simple things about money. They know when money is stolen. They know what is RM42 billion.

“But if you go to the kampung and you say Najib stole RM42 billion, to them RM42 or RM42 billion is the same,” he said when asked whether Harapan had gained ground in rural areas by exposing how taxpayer money was allegedly misappropriated via 1MDB.

Mahathir quit Umno for the second time in February 2016, about a month after attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali had cleared caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak of involvement in the 1MDB scandal on the back of three investigation papers submitted by the MACC.

Najib has consistently denied all allegations linking him to alleged wrongdoings in relation to the state investment firm.

Since then, Mahathir’s campaign to oust Najib has led to formation of Bersatu, and its current alliance with Pakatan Harapan against BN and the PAS-led Gagasan Sejahtera in the 14th general election.

Bread and butter

Given the circumstances, Mahathir explained that Harapan’s approach to attract support from the heartlands has instead been to focus on more relatable issues, particularly the rising cost of living.

“In the rural areas, they understand the high cost of living.

“Some people who used to have three meals a day now have two meals, some have one meal a day. That they understand.

“When their children cannot get a scholarship, that they understand,” he said.

According to Mahathir, there are parents who have come to see him to lament that their children are not being granted scholarships to further their studies abroad.

“Before we (the government) used to give lavish scholarships. Some we have even given to people who failed.

“But many of them got through and have done very well. They are now professionals.

“So they expect the government to help because no Malay can afford to send their children to study medicine in England… No way. It is too costly,” he stressed.

In the last general election, the then-opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat picked up 15 new parliamentary seats in Peninsular Malaysia, most of which were urban. However, it lost an equal number of mainly rural or semi-urban seats.

Long seen as being strongholds of Umno, Harapan’s campaign in the Malay heartlandfor GE14 has been largely taken up by Bersatu, PKR and Amanah, with DAP left to defend its mostly urban seats.

The coalition’s election manifesto had, among others, pledged the abolishment of the GST as part of a larger agenda to tackle cost of living issues.

Simultaneously, Harapan highlighted how Putrajaya was forced to implement budget cuts on key areas, including on health and education, in order to compensate for shortfalls due to purportedly stolen public funds.

The issue was not lost on BN however, with its own manifesto – themed ‘Hebatkan Negaraku’ – promising to address the high cost of living. - Mkini